When the lady is finally seen as a lady
by Mirany
Summary: Sick of being seen as only another Darkblade Deesa tries to teach Wolfgar a few things DARKBLADE ACADEMY from the Geekly Inc podcast family


I don't think I've ever had this much money in my life or this many friends for that matter. It's hard to resist celebrating both and what better way to do that than enjoy the windfall I've had, like everything, I have my doubts that it will last.

Dragging Sina along the street I'm not bothered by the lack of other shoppers, simply the experience of going out with a woman my age while being slightly tipsy is enough to make me extremely giddy. I want to try everything. Flowers, lace, frills and bows nothing is seen and not tried on but I don't think Sina had enough to drink before we came out here. Where her honesty could usually be seen to be refreshing right now she is ruining my party. I know that dresses like these are impractical, hell any dress is impractical in our line of work but sometimes you just can't help it. It's nice to look on the outside how you feel on the inside and right now there is one word for that, amazing. I'm wondering which one he'd like most when she interrupts my fantasies wanting to know what boy I'm buying this for. Being about to say something along the lines of how much I like this one I'm rather unprepared for the directness of this question, if only she'd had more to drink.

I duck my head, trying to hide my face; I really need longer hair for this to work. I stammer as I try to get around her question, giving clues but not a name. I'm barely able to admit the attraction I have to him to myself most days, let alone another person. As I'm finally about to spit it out Sina jumps in with "Footpad!" and my current level of spluttering has nothing on before. Footpad, really Sina I have more taste than that. Not believing that she could be so perceptive and also so dense at the same time I blurt out "Wolfgar ok, I've had my eye on Wolfgar". Then she tries to act cool about my admission, not like she has a claim on him she told me so the day we met. I blush admitting how much I like him to her has made me picture him, all those muscles, quite a man. Deciding I won't be taking any of the dresses in this shop I change and we head along the street to the next establishment.

Along the way Sina pokes me in the ribs several times and hisses something about there being a lot of people coughing around here. I brush her off saying it's probably just flu season, I have more important things to think about, I mean it's not like anyone is going to die in the time it takes me to find a new dress. An hour later we come out of a shop, both smiling. It's not the perfect guaranteed to be noticed dress but it's certainly an improvement and those wolf fur accents couldn't be more suited to my target.

Awaking the next morning I should be feeling more excited about wearing my new dress but it's hard to get the energy together over this horrible cough. Wearing it anyway even though I don't feel I'm doing it justice I head for the dining hall to see how everyone else survived their night of celebrating. Sina is looking about as bad as I feel and since she didn't drink I know it hasn't anything to do with that. Geovani comments on how terrible we look, doesn't he know it's rude to tell a woman she looks sick and horrible? He dares to suggest we'd both feel better if every morning we got up, worked out, prayed to our lord and did our laundry. I can't even begin to describe how useless I feel that is, if a god really cared I wouldn't be here, I'd still have a family. Why do people always have to say things that should be wise or sensible but only ruin my day?

At this point Wolfgar finally takes notice of us and all I can do is cough about how sad I am that I just got this new dress and am now sick. Still Sina sees my disappointment and compliments my dress asking Wolfgar whether he thinks I look nice. I reach for her hand under the table and squeeze it in thanks, where would I be without her help. Unfortunately Wolfgar is determined to avoid our joint advances on my behalf and while his excuse of seeing Maester about our illness is correct I just really want him to answer the damn question! When pushed he notes how my filling out of this style of dress is coming along nicely and that the fur matches my whiskers. It's all I can do not to cry, with everyone around me he just had to draw attention to the two things about myself I hate the most. I stand up, move over to him and press my hand to his cheek whispering in his ear, as I release my magic, "I suggest you start treating me like a lady before this gets any further." I step away again a small smile on my face now certain that at least for the rest of the day I won't have to endure more words like those.

He briefly glazes over as I pull back and I hope no one notices because if they did I know this will never end the way I want it to. Having finally got the message I'm not just one of the gang and wish to be treated appropriately he gets somewhat closer to a compliment. Being a lady I thank him as graciously as possible through the coughing. He now insists more strongly that we visit the Maester because after all if a lady is sick enough for you to see it there's something seriously wrong. I pat him on the cheek again, he's better than expected at this. Then I take his arm though it was not offered, he still has some learning to do then. Sina complains at his sudden change of position and is told she's not required to accompany us as she'd be better putting her time to use practising her skills. He leads me down the tunnels, Geovani in our wake and Sina probably fuming at the rear of the party as he was a little harsh.

We arrive at the Maester's rooms and they seem rather full. Wolfgar goes to speak with him saying something about this gorgeous woman with him who has a cough he's concerned about. I'm impressed with his word choice I was still expecting something a little backhanded. Stunned I manage to flutter my eyelashes at him. That's about as good as it gets though when he follows it up with a 100 gold piece bribe. I feel that is a bit excessive, I know I just blew a heap of my pay on a dress but still 100 gold to see me first; there are so many sicker people here. Though if you forget about the people much sicker then I am it's the most romantic thing anyone has ever done for me. I really don't mind waiting but my attempts to convince him of such are falling on deaf ears and it seems he's decided I'm not a modern lady but rather one who should be seen and not heard when men are talking. A bit of a chauvinist, I just had to pick a man who thinks that's the way to make a woman feel like a lady. Ladies first is fine but "Don't interrupt the men when they're talking"?

I understand he's trying to help me, really I do but leaving me out of the decisions is not the way to do that, ever. The Maester guides me behind a curtain in the corner indicating he'd like me to sit so he can examine me. I don't need to be told to cough, they're hard to stop. The way he looks at me I know it's not good but I can't bring myself to ask what he thinks will happen. Taking a deep breath I put on my sweetest smile as I step back around the curtain thanking him for his time and before I can even finish my words Wolfgar is diving in wanting to know everything except how I am. Maester believes the malady spreading throughout town is of a magical nature and suggests we should be speaking with some wizards if we want to be of assistance. Wolfgar being not as familiar with the city as he thinks has to ask where he'd find a wizard. So we head out into the streets towards the white spire.

Out in the streets there are people doing more than just coughing, so that's what I have to look forward to. Wolfgar next to me, showing what could be considered both an astonishing display of sense and lack of sense at the same time, removes his loincloth to cover his nose and mouth leaving him exposed to the world. I can't help myself, I know I shouldn't, but I just have to look. Glancing down I let out the breath I hadn't realised I was holding, what he was hiding under that scrap of animal skin is nothing to be ashamed of; it matches the rest of his physique. Before I'm really aware of it something is shoved in my face. My eyes widen as I realise it's the scrap of fur that was preserving Wolfgars modesty only moments ago. I did want it but now I have it I just can't think of what to do with it other than get it off my face for now.

Eventually we reach the White Spire after what feels like the longest walk of my life mostly because I couldn't resist glancing down every minute. I'm almost ashamed of my behaviour. As we see the guards I let go of his arm allowing him to march alone and naked up to them, I must say even the back view has improved without that scrap of fur. To match his nakedness he doesn't ask but rather demands to see the lead wizard, if he took that tone with me I think I'd melt. I really think he was expecting that combination to work and doesn't seem to appreciate the bone we got thrown by the guards. Surely a bunch of wizards down by the river will be fine. Better than fine in fact, perhaps I can arrange for Wolfgar to fall in the water?

Sina expresses a great desire to sneak into the building, I allow her to convince me that she can have her attempt. Her logic is fairly sound, I wouldn't let the best wizards out if I was them but she's never going to get in so does it really matter. When it fails as I assumed it would Wolfgar gallantly offers his war hammer, though if the guards didn't observe it before I don't think it's going to improve our chances now. I tell him to put it away and hold out his loin cloth which he ignores, I guess it's mine now. Adjusting my cleavage I see it placed securely down the centre where hopefully only its owner will find it.

Once again resorting to gold Wolfgar makes one last attempt to get through the door as I tug on his arm, trying to convince him it would be best if we left the guards alone and just spoke to what wizards we can. Turns out the guards were throwing us quite a hefty bone, plenty of pointy hated men down by the water sticking all kind of instruments in and measuring who knows what. This time Geovani decides to be the demanding one but I get the feeling this won't last much longer so I'm just going to enjoy the view while I can. Somehow it is concluded we should head upstream, I don't care how they decided that but I'd pray to any god if it would get Wolfgar in the water right now.

Before the wizards get out of sight I grab his hand, tell him to continue walking with the others and dash back. I have to ask how they feel morally about using magic on others for personal reasons. I mean I'm only trying to make him realise what's there already. It's not so bad is it? If I'm honest with myself I knew it wasn't the best idea but some people need a lesson and someone to open their eyes. I do feel a little better now that I've realised some small part of how bad I've been feeling is guilt over making Wolfgar into someone he's not. Having caught up again I draw him back a little, wishing to enjoy the last bit of time where he sees me simply as a woman and not as another Darkblade. I look him straight in the face whispering "Wolfgar, kiss me" knowing deep down that if he's really treating me like a lady it won't happen. Proving me right he believes I'm too much a lady to skip to parlay before at least dinner. Yes I do deserve to have someone properly woo me but if that's what I really wanted right now I wouldn't be here. I find I don't need all the proper behaviour which is a surprise to me.

I pat his cheek one last time, he's always a sweetheart and now I know I want him but I want him as is not as something I think he should be. I release my magic again, freeing him from my suggestion and as he glazes over once more walk away to Sina who was apparently watching this whole exchange. Wolfgar seems a little confused and I'm thankful, I don't think I'd want him to remember this it would taint our future horribly. Sina next to me unexpectedly covers my magic saying he got really drunk, making me thankful for her as well.

I guess when you attempt to make someone see something they aren't ready for only the person doing the forcing learns a lesson but even then it's not the one I could have ever dreamed of.


End file.
